Nephrolepis plant named ‘BRAVIT2621’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nephrolepis  plant named ‘BRAVIT2621’ characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; dark green-colored pinnae; relative drought tolerance; and good interiorscape performance.

Botanical designation: Nephrolepis exaltata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BRAVIT2621’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nephrolepis plant, botanically known as Nephrolepis exaltata, commonly known as Sword Fern and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BRAVIT2621’.

The new Nephrolepis plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Emerald Queen’, not patented. The new Nephrolepis plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within a population of plants of ‘Emerald Queen’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands in September, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nephrolepis plant by tissue culture in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, since April, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Nephrolepis plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Nephrolepis have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BRAVIT2621’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BRAVIT2621’ as a new and distinct Nephrolepis plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Dark green-colored pinnae.     -   3. Relatively drought-tolerant.     -   4. Good interiorscape performance.

Plants of the new Nephrolepis differ from plants of the mutation parent, ‘Emerald Queen’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nephrolepis are more compact and are more         suitable for smaller containers than plants of ‘Emerald Queen’.     -   2. Plants of the new Nephrolepis have shorter fronds than plants         of ‘Emerald Queen’.     -   3. Plants of the new Nephrolepis are more suitable for         interiorscape usage and plants of ‘Emerald Queen’ are more         suitable for outdoor plantings.

Plants of the new Nephrolepis can be compared to plants of Nephrolepis obliterata ‘Kimberly Queen’, not patented. Plants of the new Nephrolepis differ primarily from plants of ‘Kimberly Queen’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nephrolepis are more compact and are more         suitable for smaller containers than plants of ‘Kimberly Queen’.     -   2. Plants of the new Nephrolepis have shorter fronds than plants         of ‘Kimberly Queen’.     -   3. Plants of the new Nephrolepis are more suitable for         interiorscape usage and plants of ‘Kimberly Queen’ are more         suitable for outdoor plantings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Nephrolepis plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Nephrolepis plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BRAVIT2621’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of the upper and lower surfaces of typical fronds of BRAVIT2621’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown during the summer in two-liter containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 18.5° C. to 22.5° C. and light levels averaged 20,000 lux. Plants were one year old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nephrolepis exaltata ‘BRAVIT2621’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Nephrolepis     exaltata ‘Emerald Queen’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright to outwardly             spreading plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous             growth habit; suitable for small containers and             interiorscape usage.         -   Plant height.—About 65 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 66 cm. -   Frond description:     -   -   Frond length.—About 41.3 cm.         -   Frond width.—About 5.1 cm.         -   Frond shape.—Narrowly lanceolate.         -   Rachis length.—About 40.9 cm.         -   Rachis width.—About 2 mm.         -   Rachis strength.—Strong, moderately flexible.         -   Rachis texture.—Densely pubescent.         -   Rachis/frond orientation.—Slightly twisted.         -   Rachis color.—Close to N199B; pubescence, close to N167B. -   Pinnae description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Bi-pinnate.         -   Quantity per frond.—About 120.         -   Length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 8 mm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate; slightly carinate, slightly falcate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Hastate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing pinnae, upper surface: Close to 144A.             Developing pinnae, lower surface: Between 143C and 144A.             Fully developed pinnae, upper surface: Close to N137A;             venation, close to 203A. Fully developed pinnae, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 203A.         -   Petioles.—         -   Length (proximal pinnae).—About 6.3 cm.         -   Width.—About 2 mm.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to N199B; proximally,             close to 200B. -   Spore description: Spore development has not been observed on plants     of the new Nephrolepis. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Nephrolepis have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Nephrolepis plants. -   Interiorscape performance: Plants of the new Nephrolepis have     exhibited good interiorscape performance due to its relative drought     tolerance. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Nephrolepis have been     observed to tolerate high temperatures about 35° C. and to be hardy     to USDA Hardiness Zone 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Nephrolepis plant named ‘BRAVIT2621’ as illustrated and described. 